Roundabout amusement ride with jump ramp

ABSTRACT

An amusement ride of the roundabout type with a plurality of radiating arms each having an inner end connected to a central support for vertical swinging movement and a passenger carrier at the outer end. The passenger carrier is supported from a circular pathway by a wheel and cushioning assembly with the pathway including a curved jump ramp, safety bridge and landing ramp to simulate the action of a ski jump and provide a pathway closely underlying the wheel of the passenger carrier but spaced therefrom as it moves from the jump ramp to the landing ramp.

O Unlted States Patent [151 3,666,264 Bartlett 1 May 30, 1972 54] ROUNDABOUT AMUSEMENT RIDE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS WITH JUMP RAMP 1,217,329 5 1966 Germany ..272/44 lnvemor: Norman Bartlett M 60l 2910 Point East 1,417,860 10/1965 France ..272/44 Drive North Miami Beach Fla. 33160 626,890 5/ 1927 France 272/43 1,133 1909 Great Britain..... 104/54 [22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1970 [211 App]. No: 75,084 Prir nary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham AS81810"! ExammerAmold W. Kramer Attorney-John B. Dickman, Ill [52] U.S. Cl .272/29, 272/44, 104/54 [51 Int. ..A63g [58] Field of Search ..272/29, 45, 44, 51, 36, 43;

104/53, 54, 63, 82, 85 An amusement ride of the roundabout type with a plurality of radiating arms each having an inner end connected to a cen- [56] References Cited tral support for vertical swinging movement and a passenger carrier at the outer end. The passenger carrier is supported UNITED STATES PATENTS from a circular pathway by a wheel and cushioning assembly 3,408,068 10/1968 Winton ..272 44 with the pathway including a curved jump ramp. safety bridge 1,242,865 10/ 1917 Riehl 104/85 X and landing ramp to simulate the action of a ski jump and pro- 3,356,365 12/1967 De Shano.. ....272/44 X vide a pathway closely underlying the wheel of the passenger 1,334,727 3/1920 Wilkens ..272/44 X carrier b t spaced therefrom as it moves from the jump ramp to the landing ramp.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 22 26 a 0 A J lllllllllll ,PATENTED m 3 0 I972 SHEET 10F 2 Norman Barf/e rr INVENTOR PATENTEB m 30 I972 Norman Barf/e INVE OR ROUNDABOUT AMUSEMENT RIDE WITH JUIVIP RAMP The present invention generally relates to an amusement ride of the roundabout type and more particularly to a ride having a cushion type suspension for the passenger carrier and a ramp assembly including a jump ramp and a landing ramp with a safety bridge therebetween.

An object of the present invention is to provide an amusement ride incorporating improvements in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,895,735 and 3,101,943 which disclose roundabout type rides in which a passenger carrier moves about a circular pathway having a jump ramp incorporated therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement ride in accordance with the preceding object which includes a landing ramp curved to conform with the landing path of the support wheel for the passenger carrier to facilitate the cushioning of the landing of the passenger carrier.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ride as set forth above which includes a curved bridge ramp between the jump ramp and landing ramp as a safety feature and which includes pivotal sections which can move to an open position to permit loading of the arms and passenger carriers or cars.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an amusement ride having a novel cushioning device disposed between a pivotal wheel support and passenger carrier.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an amusement ride adapted for trailer mounting for ease of transport and which is dependable and safe in operation and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the Drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the amusement ride of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the ramp structure employed in the circular pathway.

FIG. 3 is a side clevational view of the ride.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view, partially in section, illustrating the cushioning support for the passenger carrier.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along section line 5-5 on FIG. 4 illustrating additional details of the cushioning support.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the amusement ride is generally designated by reference numeral and includes a central support 12 having a plurality of radiating arms 14 connected thereto by bracket members 16 and horizontal hinge members 18 which enables the arms 14 to swing in a vertical plane as the arms 14 are rotated with the central support 12 by a suitable drive means (not shown).

The outer end of each arm has a passenger carrier 20 rigidly fixed thereto and a hollow wheel support arm 22 pivotally attached to the arm 14 by a depending bracket 24 and hinge 26. A rubber tired wheel 28 is joumaled on the outer end of wheel support arm 22 for supporting the passenger carrier 20 and the outer end of the radiating arm 14. An air bag assembly 30 is interposed between the arm 14 and the wheel support arm 22. The lower end of the air bag assembly 30 is attached to an adapter plate 32 having a restricting orifice 34 communicating with the interior of the hollow support arm 22 which serves as an air reservoir which is filled with air under predetermined pressure when the air bag is pressurized through the usual air valve provided therein. Also, conventional shock absorbers 36 are connected between the passenger carrier or arm 14 and the support arm 22 to control movement between the arms 14 and 22.

The wheel 28 rides on a circular track or pathway 36 supported by frame members 38. The track 36 includes an upwardly curved jump ramp 40, a curving bridge ramp 42 and a downwardly curved landing ramp 44 arranged in continuous relation to each other as illustrated in FIG. 2. The jump ramp 40 has a terminating short flat, or straight section 41 which is adjustable as to its angular disposition by a hinge 46 at the approach end thereof and an adjustment device 48 at the opposite end thereof.

The central support 12 is mounted on a wheeled trailer 50 or on a truck chassis to enable the ride to be collapsed into stored condition for ease of transport from one location to another.

When the ride is stopped, two carriers are left in elevated position and in order to prevent passengers from leaving these two carriers, a safety chain 52 is placed over the safety bar on these cars in a position inaccessible to the passengers when in elevated position. Also, the air in the air bag and reservoir will be compressed when passing along the jump ramp and provide an additional upward force to the carriers as the air expands as the wheel travels over the straight section 41 and approaches free flight, thus providing a realistic upward jump to the passenger carriers, and jumps of equal lengths.

Whereas the drawing and accompanying description have shown and described one preferred embodiment of the present invention it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

The bridging ramp 42 is provided with a pair of pivotal segments 43 which are capable of swinging vertically about hinges 45 to enable the segments to open for loading the radial arms 14 and the passenger carriers or cars 20.

I claim:

1. An amusement ride comprising a vertical central rotatably driven support, a plurality of radiating arms pivotally connected with the central support for vertical swinging movement, a passenger carrier mounted on the outer end of each arm, a wheeled support arm pivotally connected to each radiating arm, controlled cushioning means between the support arm and the radiating arm, said cushioning means including an air bag assembly, said support arm being hollow and communicated with the air bag through a restricted orifice to enable controlled flow of air between the air bag and hollow support arm during movement between the radiating arm and support arm, and a circular track for said wheeled support arm, said circular track including a jump ramp, a bridge ramp and a landing ramp arranged in continuous relation.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said jump ramp has adjustment means whereby angular vertical adjustment of said jump ramp varies the free flight of the passenger carrier, said landing ramp curving downwardly in substantially the same path as the projected landing path of the wheeled support arm, said bridge ramp generally following the contour of the free flight path of the wheeled support arm.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said central support is mounted on a wheeled truck type vehicle to facilitate transport of the amusement ride.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said bridge ramp includes at least one pivoted segment movable to an open position to permit loading of the arms and passenger carriers. 

1. An amusement ride comprising a vertical central rotatably driven support, a plurality of radiating arms pivotally connected with the central support for vertical swinging movement, a passenger carrier mounted on the outer end of each arm, a wheeled support arm pivotally connected to each radiating arm, controlled cushioning means between the support arm and the radiating arm, said cushioning means including an air bag assembly, said support arm being hollow and communicated with the air bag through a restricted orifice to enable controlled flow of air between the air bag and hollow support arm during movement between the radiating arm and support arm, and a circular track for said wheeled support arm, said circular track including a jump ramp, a bridge ramp and a landing ramp arranged in continuous relation.
 2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said jump ramp has adjustment means whereby angular vertical adjustment of said jump ramp varies the free flight of the passenger carrier, said landing ramp curving downwardly in substantially the same path as the projected landing path of the wheeled support arm, said bridge ramp generally following the contour of the free flight path of the wheeled support arm.
 3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said central support is mounted on a wheeled truck type vehicle to facilitate transport of the amusement rIde.
 4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said bridge ramp includes at least one pivoted segment movable to an open position to permit loading of the arms and passenger carriers. 